Machine for cutting veneers and other



iran ternir PATENT o ric.

JNO. HUMPHREY, OF HARRINGTONY TOWNSHIP, BERGEN COUNTY, NE\V JERSEY.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING VENEERS AND OTHER TH`IN PIECES 0F WOOD FROM THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF A LOG.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 2,834, dated October 26, 1842.

To aZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it kno-wn that I, JoHN HUurHRnY, of the township of Harrington, in thev county of Bergen and Stateof New Jersey, have invented a new andusefulimprovement not before known or used by others on the machine for cutting veneers or other. thin sheets of mahogany, rose-wood, curled maple, birds-eye maple, or any other ornamental wood, &c., by which such veneers, &c., may be cut in continuous sheets of any desirable lengths and widths of uniform thickness from the surface of a revolving cylindrical block of wood.

The method in which it is done is as follows: A cylindrical block of wood to be cut into veneers of the desirable length and diameter termed the bolt is firmly fixed in a strong turning lathe either upon a square iron axis passing through the center of the cylinder or any other way sufficiently firm and is put rapidly in motion around its axis by a power proportioned to the size of the block or bolt the hardness of the wood and the thickness ofthe veneer to be cut. A large strong steel blade .longer than the block to be cut and having an eye perfectly straight is n'rmly xed in a sliding frame attached to the lathe in such manner that the knife may be made to approach and recede from the revolving cylindrical block or bolt fixed in the lathe keeping its straight edge exactly parallel with the axis of the cylindrical block, the sharp edge of the knife to be upward and the back of vthe knife downward with a slight inclination from the cylindrical block. A roller or straight edge is fixed firmly .to .the sliding frame parallel to the sharp edge of the knife and is termed the regulator. This regulator is so placed that the part of it which is nearest the cylindrical block is a little farther from the cylindrical block than the sharp edge of the knife and is a little higher than the edge of the lmife. The distance between the front edge of the regulator and the edge of Vthe knife determines the thickness of the veneer to be cut and the regulator is attached to the sliding frame in such manner that this distance may be altered at pleasure. When the machine is ready for operation the sliding frame is advanced toward the cylindrical block in the lathe until the edge of the knife is brought in contact with the surface of the cylindrical block; the block is then put in motion on the lathe, revolving againstv the edge of the knife. The sliding frame is'then pushed forward either by the hand, a weight attached, a screw and rack or other machineryv connected with the lathe, so that the knife enters the surface of the cylinder and the front edge of t-he regulator is kept in contact with the cylindrical block just above the'edge of the knife by continuing the motion of the lathe and rpushing forward the sliding frame toward the cylindrical block. A thin veneer is cut from the surface of the cylindrical block and passes off between the edge of the knife and regulator in one continuous sheet cut spirally from the surface of the block until it approachesv the axis in the center and of a width corresponding with the length of the cylindrical block. This Lveneer or thin sheet of wood may be cut extremely thin and is solid and firm and can without difficulty be adapted Yto plain d surfaces. It may be cut from wood yinV itsV lnatural state but it is cut much easier and the Veneer is'much better if the blocks from which it is cut are first well boiled or steamed. Y Y Y The machine and Vits operation maybe better understood by the drawings annexed which- Figure l represents a horizontal view of the machine, and Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the machine and cylindrical block.` In these B B isa strongbench or frame in which the lathe and sliding frame are .xed A is the axis of the lathe; D1 D2 the drum and gearing by which the rotary motion is given; C the cylindrical block from which the veneers are to be cut xed upon the axis A. F is a frame sliding in grooves in the sides of the bench or frame B B so as to admit of being moved forward toward the cylinder C. H, is the knife fixed in the front of the sliding frame with its sharp edge E E upward and parallel to the axis of the cylindrical block. Y R is the regulator with its mo-st forward surface a little behind and a little above; E E"the edge of the knife. The sliding frame and cylinder are so fixed that the edge of theal knife E E advances to theV cylinder in a y plane P P passing through the axis of the Y 1 l cylinder. Q, Q are screws by which the so u;

85 and making part of this specication in Y parallel regulator maybe moved forward and backward upon the sliding frame so as to vary the distance of the regulator from E E and with it to vary the thickness of the veneer when the cylinder is put in motion in the direction of the arrow from T to S; the

` sliding frame F F is advanced in the groove G until the edge of the knife E E is in contact with the surface of the cylinder C at S; the knife being pushed forward will enter the cylinder gradually until the forward edge of the regulator R is in contact with the surface of the cylinder and being kept in such contact by continued pressure it is easy to see that the motion of the lathe will cut or turn from the surface of the cylinder a continued sheet of wood which will pass off between the regulator and E and which will be cut spirally from the cylindrical block until it is entirely cut away; L and L are the cro-ss bars of the sliding frame to the front one of which L the knife E is fixed.

The foregoing description relates to the machine as adapted for cutting veneers or thin sheets of wood in continuous spiral pieces or volutes but in order to adapt the machine for cutting the pieces of wood in strips of given widths and strengths the following parts must be added: Longitudinal parallel knives U for making parallel incisions in the revolving bolt the width apart of the required strips or veneers to be cut are arranged at the top of the sliding frame F in separate adjustable stocks I placed in a transverse hori- Zonta-l mortise V in a cross bar W of the frame F, so that thestocks of said knives can be moved transversely and horizontally to the right and left in said mortise for the purpose of changing their width apart at pleasure and the knives to move longitudinally in said stocks toward or from the revolving bolt for the purpose of increasing or diminishing the depth of incision. The adjustable stocks I for holding the parallel knives are made in the form of hooks with Shanks having screws cut on them and provaxis and at equal distances apart projecting beyond the periphery as far as the required depth of incision to be made, which roller is placed in a horizontal sliding carriage J,- moved longitudinally in grooves A' in the main frame toward the revolving bolt by pressure on weight .causing said knives to enter their depth into the bolt parallel horizontal revolvingV lengthwise or parallel with its axle'in suc-` cession as it revolves and to leave the same without danger of breaking as the/bolt revolves by being placed in the surface of the roller having a rotary movement in a contrary direction from vthatrof the bolt, which movement causes the bolt to leave the knife after the incision has been made without injury; the carriage J with said revolving roller of knives being caused to advance v toward the revolving bolt as it is gradually reduced in diameter by means'` of weights,

springs or the pressure of the operator as aforesaid. Y f

What I claim as my invention and which I desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The arrangement ofthe parallel longitudinal adjustable knives V for determining 'Y the width of the veneers or other thin pieces of wood to be cut and the arrangement of the transverse parallel revolving knives K for determining their lengths in combination with the fixed blade E for cutting V.the thin piece or pieces of wood or veneers as before described. Y

JOI-IN HUMPHREY. f

Signed in the presence of- WILLIAM HENRY HUMPHREY, A. O. LABRIZKER. 

